What shines through is Molesworth’s deep love of her subject and the tactile joy of wearing such gems.

Traces the journeys of different stones from their discovery to their sale … Explores the history, geology and famous wearers of 10 beloved jewels.

A magnificent compendium of everything one could ever want to know about jewels: their symbolism, physical construction, worth and history . . . I shall never look at a diamond in the same way again.

This is – fittingly – a gem of a book. Rich descriptions, fascinating histories and, at times, just pure, dazzling bling. A joy to read.

Reading Precious is like opening history’s treasure chest, to discover a trove of fascinating information.

Merging knowledge with fascination she shows us that the preciousness of gems does not lie solely in their sparkle but in their story.

Engaging and illuminating, Precious is a masterclass in the history of gems. It’s also great fun to read – one of those books where the learning is effortless as Helen invites the reader to join her while she visits glittering palaces, explores muddy sapphire mines and values some of the most phenomenal jewels on the planet.

Beautifully written and superbly interesting, Helen Molesworth tells a compelling, global story of gems – their unending allure and continuing impact on human history.

Those who read Precious are in for a treat; I could not put it down until I had read every page. It is a rich and seamless web of gem history, gemmology and personal encounters with jewellery including the author’s amazing and fearless journeys to the sources of rare stones, and of handling incredible stones prior to sale. This book is destined to remain a classic.

Precious is part history, part travel memoir, and part declaration of love towards gems. Like an overflowing jewellery box, its pages are bursting with stories of the sumptuous and luxurious, as well the perilous and arduous.